


Unspoken

by autobotscoutriella



Series: Vox Populi [2]
Category: Transformers (Bay Movies), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Decepticon Command, Gen, Pre-Canon, Rivalry, Telepathy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2021-01-02 04:21:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21155534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/autobotscoutriella/pseuds/autobotscoutriella
Summary: In the wake of Megatron's disappearance, Soundwave considers his options. Semi-sequel to Vox Populi.





	Unspoken

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for [FandomWeekly](https://fandomweekly.dreamwidth.org/262683.html) for the prompt "Rival".

The _Nemesis_ echoed and hummed with energy, emotion and thoughts from hundreds of separate processors overlapping and layering until Soundwave could not distinguish between one Decepticon and the next. It was _loud_, and chaotic, and too crowded, even once he had retreated to his own quarters and locked the door to give himself some space from the closely clustered troops. Even with his firewalls up to keep out unwanted details and emotional spillover, stray thoughts raced down the halls and whispered in the corners.

_if Lord Megatron's gone, who takes command now?_

_This damn ship's too crowded. They couldn't build in a couple of—_

_—too cold. Not used to the cold._

_—bet it's Starscream, he's been waiting for this_— came with a surge of disgust that Soundwave couldn't entirely disagree with, even if it would have been unprofessional to show it.

_—had to leave my datapad collection behind. It's wasted on the Autobots. Fuck 'em all. They don't deserve it._

_—he pulls my shoulder fin again I'm gonna snap his hand off, the—_

_my wing—gone—_ That one was accompanied by an unwelcome stab of pain.

Soundwave made an extra effort to shut it out and turned to face the window, drawing his mind away from the rank and file soldiers and up toward the cluster of officers' quarters near the bridge. Two of the overheard thoughts had raised an excellent point. Who would be taking command?

He could predict how the discussion would go even without being in the same room as his fellow officers. He'd read them often enough over the years to know who would act and how, and at the moment, they were projecting their thoughts through the ship just as much as anyone else.

Starscream had been waiting for an opportunity to take over for millions of years. Now, a power vacuum had conveniently opened, and with Megatron seemingly gone and not returning, this was his chance to grab and _keep_ it. He wasn't popular, but some Decepticons would back him out of fear and others out of a sense that he was the logical choice. Soundwave could feel the elation the Seeker was trying to hide under a mask of pragmaticism, the biting, burning thrill of being so close to his goal he could _taste_ it.

Starscream's processor wasn't one Soundwave cared to hang around in for long. He moved on, letting Starscream fade into the background, and carefully allowed himself a glimpse at the loudest processor on the ship.

Blackout wouldn't be as quick to jump on Megatron's absence. His rage and grief at Megatron's sudden disappearance radiated through the entire deck of the ship, much like all of his emotions tended to; the last thing on his mind was how he, personally, could benefit from this _tragedy_. But the thought of Starscream in command enraged Blackout enough that Soundwave could practically feel it buzzing through his own chest, and that meant that there would, inevitably, be a fight. Perhaps verbal, perhaps physical, but without Megatron there to break it up—

Soundwave couldn't be sure which one would come out on top. Blackout's outrage was disorienting, and he pulled back before it could swamp him. Without Megatron there as a buffer, he needed to keep a wary optic on his own processor.

Barricade was unusually quiet and withdrawn, clearly trying to block Soundwave out as much as possible. Soundwave chose not to push; he could read everything he needed to from that reaction alone. Barricade wouldn't challenge anyone for the leadership role—perhaps because he knew he would lose in a straight fight, or perhaps he simply didn't want it—but he hadn't decided who to back yet, and didn't want Soundwave reporting that fact to anyone.

It was a sensible reaction, and one that seemed to be shared by every member of the command team that Soundwave spent the next few moments carefully reading. Everyone had concluded that the inevitable fight for command would be a two-mech match.

Soundwave withdrew from the rest of the ship, as much as he could. There was a third option that no one else seemed to have considered. He had yet to decide if it was worth raising.

Starscream and Blackout were both decently capable at what they did, if too easily distracted by their own rivalries. Either one of them could lead the Decepticons—perhaps not _as _well as Megatron would have, but for an interim option, either would suffice. But if Megatron did not return, someone would have to give some thought to long-term leadership.

Soundwave had never wanted or intended to rule the Decepticons. Megatron had been far better equipped for that task; Soundwave had always been content to stand in his shadow, silently doing whatever needed to be done to further the Decepticon cause. Megatron had never quite explicitly acknowledged that Soundwave would prove a far more formidable rival than Starscream, should he ever choose to betray the Lord Protector, but as Soundwave had never been the slightest bit interested, it had gone unspoken. He suspected that neither Starscream nor Blackout had considered the possibility of a third challenge.

But Megatron's disappearance and their departure from Cybertron had already begun to change Soundwave's calculations about his role in the Decepticon hierarchy.

Perhaps, if nothing else, it was time to remind both of his squabbling rivals that they were not the only ones with a vested interest in the results of the upcoming challenge for leadership.

_—swear to Primus I'm going to kick his skidplate—_

_—rather follow one of the Constructicons than Starscream, they might be dumb but they're on the front lines—_

—_how long is our energon going to last out here in—_

Soundwave sighed, and began the painstaking process of reinforcing his firewalls to keep out unwanted, close-range thoughts. It would be a long, long trip through space, no matter who took command, if he didn't.

Perhaps he _should_ consider claiming the role, if only for the opportunity to toss all of his noisiest neighbors out an airlock.


End file.
